Natural cane, as is the case with most natural products, is becoming scarce and therefore expensive and yet remains a desirable product for the manufacture of furniture.
Furniture made from plastic tubing is also currently popular because of its relative cheapness compared to cane or timber furniture. The disadvantage of tubular plastic furniture is, however, the unsightliness of the joints between the various tubular components which for reasons of strength are sleeved joints which, in many cases, resemble plumbing fittings.